Temper Must Run In The Family
by C. Martin
Summary: I expect death one day and when the time is right I will welcome him with open arms, because there is nothing to be feared except fear itself.
1. Epilogue

**Epilogue...**

**The night filled with screams as Mr. Daton's wife went into labour, his sons cries filling the air as his wife slipped into unconsciousness, she could barely handle being pregnant, nor had she survived the birth, just as Mr. Daton had feared. His son was handed to him by his brother, the next tribe elder and he declared a name "Alexander. Alexander James Daton." Mr. Daton was proud his son was healthy, but of course utterly devistated his wife was gone and it was then he promised that he and his son would never live in fear, just as his wife had done.**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter one...

16 years on...

Mr. Daton swore. He could no longer keep his sons destiny a secret from him. "We are no Daton's, that was your mothers name," he explained much to Alexander's suprise as they never talked of his mother ever. "We are Black's, and we, my son, are moving to my hometown, where things will start making sense, now go pack Alexander, we are leaving for La Push tomorrow.". And that was that, Mr. Daton, now Mr. Black, was making his decision final. 'Its for the best' he thought and with that, the two comenced packing. Although Mr. Black would never admit it to himself, nor anyone else, he was afraid, afraid for his son and afraid of what Alexander was likly to become. A Shape-Shifter, jut like his father and his fathers father and as far back as the creation of the legends Mr. Black grew up being told.

Alexander sat on his bed looking at the photo he had just found. It was a picture of his mother, she looked so young happy. Anger boiled inside his chest and he flung his hand toword the box he had been packing when he found the picture, knocking its contents across the room, he growled.

Downstairs Mr. Black was pacing across the room, wondering what had happened to make his son so angry all of a sudden. He then realized, the picture.

Alexander slumped to the floor, the picture in his hand weighing no more than a few grams, but feeling like he was holding a tonne of bricks. Deep down he knew that his mothers death was not his fault, but on the surface he was mad at himself. Alexander lifted hiself off the floor and commenced packing, just to keep his hands busy. But eventually everything had been packed and his guilt was riddling. With nothing to keep his mind off of his mother, he opened his bedroom door and walked down the stairs, looking for his father. "Dad?" He asked as he found him in the office. "Alex" His dad acknowledged. "Why are we really moving nextdoor to Uncle Billy?" Alex asked his dad. Mr. Black sighed, he knew this question was inevitable. "Your changing Alex. And to be honest your uncle will know how to help you better than myself. All I know is, right now, you need to trust me and keep calm, for our safty. Now have you finnished packing?" he asked his son. Alex nodded, though not understanding his fathers words, and promised to keep calm.

Mr. Black figured he should call his brother, Billy, and tell him that he and his son were moving and explain what has been happening to Alex, but he wanted to make sure Alex would not hear, it would be easier if Billy explained what was happening to him. As soon as Alex was asleep, Mr. Black dialed the all to familiar number that he had been repeating in his head for the entire week. "Hello Black resedance" answered a gruff voice on the other end of the phone. "Billy, it's started. We're moving in next door to you tomorrow and I need you to to explain to him, please" Mr. Black replied desperately. "Jhon, deep breaths just whatever you do, Keep. Him. Clam. And talk your medication. Me and Jacob will be there waiting when you get here. See you tomorrow brother" was the last thing Billy said to his brother, Jhon, before he hung up.

Jhon had very carefully moved to Seattle a few years ago in case of an event like this, so as they drove, Billy and his son Jacob knew Jhon and Alexander would be at the house next door in no time, considering that next door was a mile away though, meant they had to drive.

There was a comfortable Silence in the car as Jhon an his son drove through the borderline that separated Forks and La-Push. Alexander, himself was not only furious at his father, but at himself as well, for having to move away from his friends and home because "he was changing", it was so ridiculous he felt as if he might explode. He knew it was not a good sign, so he kept quiet, bouncing his leg to keep from doing anything that might end badly as they pulled up next to a rusty, old, beat up Chevy truck. "Jhon, Alexander! I'm glad your here, Jacob meet Alexander, he was born a few months before you." Billy introduced. "Is he..." the boy named Jacob asked making Alexander even more curious, Billy nodded and to Alexander's dismay no one told him what was going on or what they thought was wrong with him. He was mad that they were keeping things from him, furious, so much so he gave himself a headache just thinking of what could be so threatening about him.

Eventually Billy decided that the expression on Alexander's face was enough to speak to him. "You know what? You guys have plenty of time to get to know each other at school, why don't Alex and I get to know one another and Jacob the same with your uncle Jhon" Billy suggested. Nods were shared before Jacob headed off with Jhon, leaving Alex behind with Billy. Alex knew this was the point of change in his life and Billy new he was soon to be a vital part of the tribe. Billy knew Alexander was soon to be the first shape-shifter to phase in his generation, when all along the entire counsel swore it would be Sam.

"So Alex what classes have you decided to take this year at high school?" Billy started. "Mostly academic, I'm thinking advanced Maths and English, extended science into science, tech and society, legal and business studies, gym of course and language. " Alex replied. Billy had to admit he was impressed, Alex had a lot more determination than Jacob, but Jake was a year younger than Alex too. "Billy," Alex started suddenly, "why did we move here, I like it here don't get me wrong, but I don't understand why. Dad has been acting so weird lately, like he's almost afraid to come anywhere near me." he concluded. Billy was torn, tell Alex the truth, breaking rules in the process or just tell him that if he trusts him, everything will be fine. " If I could tell you whats going on Alex I would, but it's not my secret to share. If you trust me, I promise things will turn out good, you just have to come to me if anything weird or unusual happens. Okay?" Billy compromises. Alex thinks it over agreeing that he would come to Billy when strange things started happening, because knowing his luck they would.

Three days later...

Alex's point of view

Finally after three days we have finished unpacking all the boxes into the new house. I have to admit, I really hated dad for making us move before, but I'm really liking La-Push. It's so green and lush, there's so much room to roam and the forrest is huge, there's even a cliff here. My bones are a little achy, but I assume that's just from all the unpacking I did, I reckon a swim will fix the pain right up and cool me off a bit. I thought it was supposed to be pretty cold down here, but I feel like I'm boiling. Meh, let's just see later. My uncle Billy is pretty cool and Jake is awesome, we get on fairly well and I'm getting along with dad better now that we are in La-Push, must be the fresh air and the open spaces.

Walking up the side of the cliff I see a little bit of rock jutting out, perfect place to jump from, cliff diving is the most amazing rush I have ever felt. It's a little higher than I'm used to but worth a shot. I take a running start, about 20 or so meters from the edge, and jump off the side, doing a double, then a triple backflip before straightening myself out into a proper nosedive. If I were being judged, I would score about a 7.5, there are advantages of joining the schools dive team. I figure since I'm still hot and achy I will jump again, but decide against it because it might hurt a little the second time. Actually I'm surprised it didn't hurt the first.

Having a shower to get clean, I wash my hair and decide after I'm done to make my way to Billy's house, might bring some pizza with me, I'm exceptionally hungry. I get out and dry myself off before putting on a pair of jeans and a light cotton, v-neck shirt.

"Hey dad?" I holler as I jumped down the stairs. "Yeah?" he yelled back. "Can I got to uncle Billy's for dinner?" I asked. "I don't know Alex, can you?" he asked back in a sarcastic tone. "Bye then" I yelled back at him getting out before I got mad.

On the way to Billy's house I stop to pick up some pizza, vegetarian with ham and extra cheese. I know, why get vegetarian if you have ham on it? It just tastes better and with the extra cheese, the most amazing pizza you will ever try. Anyway, I walk through the main street and cross through Paul's yard, yeah I made some friends, and in 2 or so minutes I'm walking through the door after Jacob opened it. "I hope you don't mind but I was starving and had a craving for pizza, thought I might come around and share with you guys" I explained. " We were just about to order some pizza, now we don't have to. It's nice of you to think of us" Billy replied. "I promise you this is the best pizza you will ever eat, so dig in I guess." I said as I took a bite of the piece I was holding. I ended up eating more than my fair share, but Jake nor Billy complained. They said it was the best pizza they have ever tasted.

"Why don't you crash here tonight, Alex, I'll call Jhon." Billy suggested. I thought about it and agreed. "Thanks Billy." I said before crashing on the couch, out like a light bulb.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Alex's point of view...

Waking up in the morning was a lot harder than I imagined it to be, everything still ached, but worse than yesterday and the blanket I had was on the ground and I still felt as if I was suffocating, it was way too hot. I sat up and my head felt like someone was pounding it in with a hammer. I really need to learn to sit up slower. Overall this morning, I felt like crap.

I made my way into the kitchen, maybe some food and a couple glasses of water and a pain killer would help.

After taking the pain killers, I started making some breakfast for myself and Billy and Jake. I decided that I would make some bacon and eggs on toast, and maybe sauté some mushrooms. So I got out the eggs and decided to fry them, so I also got out the fry pan and cracked six eggs into it and put six rashes of bacon into the pan as well. I got out the toaster, put in two of the six pieces that needed to be cooked and then got out some mushrooms and a pot. I put the mushrooms in high heat with a third of a cup of milk and a tablespoon of margarine and then turned back to the eggs and bacon a flipped them to cook the other side. The toast popped up, so I put in two more pieces and then stirred the now cooked mushrooms. Once everything was all cooked and plated up I made some coffee and put the food on the table. 5...4...3...2...1... Slam! That's Jake up. And Billy right behind him, I knew they would smell the food. "Looks good" Jake observed as he took his seat. "Certainly does'" Billy complemented, before everyone dug in.

"That was delicious!" Billy said, whilst Jake was wondering how Alex did it. "Well you guys let me crash here and I thought it might be useful to make some food, especially since I was starving" I explained. Billy looked thoughtful for a moment, and then told me to go home and get into some clean clothes and come back later if I wanted.

After having a shower, I decided that I was going to go visit Paul, maybe see if he wanted to go see the new slasher film. I walked down the main street, past the grocery store and into Paul's backyard. I knocked on the back door and Paul answered. "Hey Alex, what's up man?" He said high-fiving me. "Just wanted to know if you wanted to go into Port Angeles and see the new slasher flick" I told him. "Yeah sounds awesome! Just let me go get my wallet and phone and I'll meet you at my car" Paul instructed. I walked over to his car, a yellow with black racing stripes, 1967 Ford Mustang, much like the old bumblebee in transformers. I have to say I was in love with his car.

We were talking about random things on the way to Port Angeles. I told Paul about my old home and how much more I liked La-Push.

When we got there I stood in line to buy tickets and then we went in sitting in the middle of the theater where the sound is best. Let me say it was hot in that theater, like boiling hot. I was sweating and all. I felt horrible. "Excuse me" I whisper-yelled at Paul half way through the movie and ran to the bathroom. I got there and rushed to turn the tap on, and drenched my face in cold water, it was so hot, every one of my bones was searing in agony. Paul came in the door. "Dude are you okay man?" he asked lightly. I shook my head. "No. I need to go home now, I don't feel too crash hot bro" I half whispered, keeled over in agony. "Okay bro come on then I'll take you to Billy's" Paul said.

The ride to Billy's was silent with me trying not to yell out. My bones seriously felt as if they were tearing apart. Paul looked worried, how could I be fine one minute and keeled over the next wishing I were dead? I don't know but I bet this was the weird stuff Billy was talking about.

"Billy!" Paul yelled out as he turned off the ignition and made his way around to my side of the car. He helped me out and into the house, before I bent over on the floor, the pain excruciating. "Paul I think it's time for you to leave I will call in the morning with updates okay?" Billy reassured. "Okay call if you need me" Paul said and left in a hurry. "Jake call your uncle Jhon tell him it's started and say your going to stay this could get dangerous" Billy instructed, Jake did as told and in 5 minutes was out the door running down the street. " Billy," I panted, whilst gritting my teeth, " What's going on?" I asked, my throat dry and my skin hot. "Alex, remember the legends of the Quiluet Tribe?" Billy asked me. I thought back. "What that we descend from wolves?" I asked stiffly. "Yes" he answered. "What about the legends?" I asked in a hoarse voice. "They are true Alex, and your about to phase, your going to be the first so it might be a little difficult, I'll explain the rest later but right now you need to sleep so here take these" Billy said, holding out about 6 pain killers, I didn't object I just took them and hoped sleep would come soon. After about 10 or so minutes I was out cold, sprawled across the entire width of Billy's living room.

Alex's point of view...

I know it's impossible to grow huge in one night but, somehow I did. All of my teenage awkwardness is gone, instead of being 5'9, now I'm 6'1 and I am buff, no fat to be seen. And I'm hot like temperature wise. On top of all that I'm still in pain, searingly hot pain, almost as if my skeleton is about to be ripped in half savagely. I wish it would end, but I don't know how long till this is over because I'm the first one, yay for me. As you can tell I'm big on sarcasm when pissed. "Billy please explain the extra detail, I need something other that pain to concentrate on" I begged. "Well since me and your dad and direct descendants of Emphirium Black, so are you and Jake, got me so far?" Billy asked. I nodded. "So the first one of you and Jacob to phase is the alpha, unless you choose to give it to someone else, the second person to phase and it doesn't have to be jake, will be beta until jake phases and then that will be his rightful place, as your right hand man" Billy finished. "Okay so If I don't want to be alpha I can pass it on to someone else and when Jake phases he could choose to be alpha or let that person stay in charge and if I want to be alpha Jake will be my beta. Okay got it" I reiterated. "Now Alex how are you feeling?" Billy asked. " I don't actually know" I answered. Billy thought for a while, probably trying to figure out how to make me mad enough to phase. Shouldn't be too hard, I have been known to be a hot headed person, Hahahaha.

Billy and I kept talking, apparently because I don't get really angry, because I'm just like Jake with the happiness, ray of sunshine thing, all my anger has built up and eventually I will literally burst, into a giant wolf that is. How wonderful. But there is always a silver lining to every dark cloud. Wouldn't it be cool to be able to transform into a wolf and help protect the land and tribe you come from, to be able to make a difference. I wonder what my coat will look like and will I have any special abilities, no one knows and that's kinda scary but it will be alright. Billy promised. Billy promised everything would be fine.

In some ways I'm insecure about what might happen, the littlest of things could set me off, at any moment I could turn into a raging monster and hurt anyone or anything near me, I could lose one of the most important things in my life or I could be far away and no one would know. I could run. Say I'm going to back pack across Arizona. No that wouldn't work, I've always hated hot climates. They remind me of the searing heat that used to always course through my veins, reminding me that the one thing I was always happy around was my best friend. She died, when we were skating last year. I remember it so clearly, we had just qualified for finals, she was so happy that day, her braces had come off just before her birthday the week before and her hair had just finished its annual colour migration back to red for the summer, her green rimmed chocolate brown eyes were as bright as ever, still excited from the rush we got from skating, she was beautiful. I was so in love with her, she didn't even know. And then an hour later as we stopped at the swimming pool to cool off, she slipped on the edge, everything happened so fast, I tried to catch her, grab her, stop her from falling, anything to save her, but she hit her head on the edge of the pool, right on the corner. Her head split open and she died before the EMT's arrived. I watched my best friend in the entire world, the love of my life, die, begging me to keep her alive as she lay in my arms, and then she was gone. I haven't really been the same person since then. When Jazz died, she took half of me with her, she would have demanded I let her go, move on, but I couldn't. I still can't. She was everything, I lost my everything that day. Dad put me through endless counseling, in which I would just sit there, not sad, not depressed, just lifeless. There was nothing, no emotions, just numbness, and I was thankful for that. I was just starting to adjust to not having her around or constantly at my side when this mess happened. I wonder what Jazz would have thought, wolves were her favorite animal, she used to say "Alex, how cool would it be if I could turn into a wolf, one with a coat the same colour as my hair?", it always used to make me laugh, I never believed that she would be so close to actual reality. I wish, for her sake and my peace of mind, that my fur will be the colour her hair always was in the summer, so I can keep one piece of her with me, when there is nothing else, nothing but my memories of the fun we used to have, the fun we would still be having if I had just saved her in the first place. I will never forgive myself for not being able to save her, never.

And you know what? As I finished reliving all my memories with her, I felt myself, shaking with sobs, crying for the first time since she actually died. This also caught Billy's attention. "Alex?" he asked tentatively. "Y-yes Billy" I sobbed out. "Are you alright, you've been sitting there looking in deep thought and crying for just under an hour now, I'm just worried is all." Billy asked. "No. I'm not alright Billy. My best friend and the love of my life died because I couldn't save her" I accidentally growled at him furious at myself, for not being able to save her, for everything that has been going on, and I was definatly too angry to stay cramped in this little tiny room that seemed more suffocating every second I sat in there. I had to get out, I had to run. I stood shaking and ran out of the incredibly small door and into the woods, Billy screaming out behind me, and that was when it happened. I felt my bones crack and stretch in a painful manner, my clothes shred, adrenalin rushing through every nerve in my body, and then instead of running slowly on two legs, I was on four legs, blurring through the forest at a blinding speed. It was uncomfortable at first but I felt my anger release and the instinct to run, comforting. All along this is what I had needed, in all those months of suffering and pain, this is what I needed and now I didn't feel held down by my anger and pain, I felt free, as free as a wolf. How happy Jazz would have been, I can imagine her now, laughing in delight to learn I could turn into her favorite animal, the hours she would have spent running her hands through my fur if I would allow her.

I turned around heading back to Billy, sure that he would be worried, and let myself get into the flow of my strides, easily making it back to the little cabin or house, in no time at all.

As I trotted out of the forest, I whimpered at Billy, showing I was sorry for scaring him. He looked amazed, I don't know why but he did. He then thought and ran inside, coming back out with some shorts, letting me grab them between my teeth before I ran and tried to figure out how to get back human. 5 minutes later, still no progress. "Think happy thoughts Alex!" Billy instructed. I complied, thinking about that last day with Jazz, her hair, her eyes, her beautiful smile, how much I loved her. And I was human. I rushed to put on the shorts, jogging out of the woods and straight to Billy.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Alex's point of view...

"So this is what I needed the whole time? To phase and let go of all the pain?" I asked Billy. He was nodding absently, looking as if on thought. "What's on your mind Billy?" I asked once again. He seemed to register I was talking then. "I was just wondering why your coat was such a beautiful vibrant red colour" he mused. I was shocked. Red? Really? I let my hopes up, wondering if it really was the colour of Jazz's hair. "I have to see it Billy" I told him. "Get the camera for me, go out side and phase and I'll take a picture for you" Billy instructed. I did as told waiting for Billy to take the picture and after 3 or 4 minutes he was done. I put my clothes back on, and ran to find Billy, once again, marveling at the colour of my fur. "It's beautiful" Billy murmured. I took the photo, staring at it, hoping wherever Jazz was, she would be happy. I was her dream animal, a wolf with fur the exact same colour as her gorgeous hair. I had one piece of her with me now, at all times I could have Jazz with me, and no one could take that away from me.

Billy awakened me from my thought saying something about going to sleep, and in that exact moment I realized how tired I actually was. It was like until now I was running on pure adrenalin. "Night Billy" I cooed as I walked upstairs to the room now mine at Billy's house. Jacob had one at mine so we were all good.

I dreamed about that last day with Jazz and the following week. I trained really hard, just for her, I knew I had to win the skating competition for her, it would make her happy. So instead of her winning, I would win for her. I didn't really think about what I wanted much so I just thought of her. It's been that way ever since. My actions all reflect on what Jazz would have said or done or thought was awesome/cool. Until now, when I couldn't control my actions, I couldn't control that I turn into a giant raging wolf, and yet I still did it her way.

I won that skating competition though. I also beat the high score record that was set in the town four years prior, I got a 9.7, the record was 8.9.

Later that morning I was woken up by Jake walking into My room. "Hey Jake" I said whilst smiling. "So the worst is over than?" he questioned. I nodded. "Say hello to the alpha of a non-existent pack" I joke, making us both laugh. "Well it won't be for long, I heard that both Paul Lahote and Leah Clearwater's boyfriend, Sam Uley, were close to phasing" he said after we calmed down. "Really?" I asked. "Yeah, Sam probably in the next couple of days and Paul by the end of the week, at least we think." Jake told me. "Well then my minion I have to figure out how to explain what's happening to them, Billy said it was my job now, he only had to help the first" I replied. Jake nodded, "Good luck with that bro!" he said laughing. "I'll try" I fake sang, witch sent us into more fits of laughter because newly phased shifters did not have high voices, so I sounded like a cliché out of a gang movie. It took us a while but we calmed down and eventually he left me to think about how I was going to deal with Sam and Paul phasing this week. I knew Sam was first, somehow I could just feel it, so I would worry about him first, make sure he didn't skip out of town and leave me to deal with hothead Lahote by myself. And then I would have to organize a bonfire, the initiation one, where billy tells the legends as we sit and watch the smoky blue-green fire from around the circle. I decided that while I thought, I might go for a run, so I yelled out to Billy and left for the woods. I striped quickly and thought about merging into one with my wolf form. I felt and heard the sickening cracks of my bones that billy assured would go away after I got used to and better at phasing, and then the heat rushing down my spine and into every nerve and cell of my being, until I was on four legs and a beautiful red colour.

Running with no purpose helped me clear my mind and think only of the task at hand. If I know Sam, and I did when we were little, he will freak out, have a debate with himself and then run, thinking he had turned into some giant monster. I decided my best plan of action would be to visit Sam and catch up on old friendships. That way I could keep an eye on him without looking suspicious. So with that thought I took off running to Sam's little cottage hut thing.

After about three or four minutes I stopped, phased back and put on my clothes. Then I casually walked up to his door and knocked, waiting for him to answer the door. I waited for about two minutes before I heard heavy, loud footsteps walking towards the door. Sam opened the door and stood in the way looking less than impressed, his expression changed to one of relief and happiness when he figured out who was at the door though. "Alexander Black, long time no see" he said, whilst grinning. "Samuel Uley, I have come to... Hang out, missed ya brah" I said all serious and then normal. "It's been a while" he said to me, dragging me through the door. Sam and I talked a lot before Jazz died, after that I didn't talk to anyone, not even my dad. So I haven't talked to Sam in nearly a year. "Yeah." I said. "So how's Jazz, did you confess to loving her yet?" Sam asked trying to make conversation. Before I spoke I heaved my self into the chair next to him and covered my face. I was gonna tell him the story that I had not yet relived to anyone else but myself. "She...She died Sam" I stuttered out. Immediately he looked guilty, I suppose for asking. "I'm so sorry Alex." Sam said. I waved my hand, getting my emotions in check. "What happened? I know better than anyone I'm the one person you can tell about this." he stated. I nodded before beginning. "You know how we were trying out for the skating competition?" I asked and paused while Sam nodded. "Well it was that day. She had just gotten her braces off like a week before, and her hair had gone back to her summer colour, and we had gotten placed in top 20 for finals, her eyes were all bright and energetic. We stopped to go for a swim and she slipped on the edge and split her head open on the corner..." I stopped to swallow down the tears. "She fell into the pool, I couldn't catch her. So I dived in and bought her out, screaming for someone to call an ambulance, but she was gone by the time they got there, she died in my arms, just after I said 'I love you', and she said it back." I finished, crying after reliving that memory. Sam sat there in silence, giving me time to compose myself before asking any questions.

After I had calmed down, I sat upright and looked at Sam. "I'm sorry about that, I haven't really gotten over it yet" I explained with a small smile. "I understand" Sam said, but he didn't really there were other things that made it more painful. "Alright my turn to interrogate you, what have you been up to, how are you?" I asked. He took a while to answer. " I have been very sick, I guess you could say, but my symptoms were weird" he said eventually. "What sort of symptoms? I was sick a couple of days ago and my symptoms were a bit unusual" I asked. "Um... I have an unbelievably high temperature, my bones ache, I cant eat, I have to take six pain killers for them to do anything..." he said, trailing off. "What is it Sam?" I asked, cautiously. "I get really angry, I'll be happy and then really angry. I feel like there's an animal inside me, clawing its way out slowly from the inside, and it scares me Alex." he said. I looked at him, it was scaring Sam, he didn't know what was about to happen to him. "Sam," I said getting up and motioning for him to follow me to the door. "Before I leave, give into the anger next time you feel it. Make your way to the woods and give into your animal, then come and find me. Promise." I demanded. "I promise Alex, now go home and get some sleep" he said. I nodded and left hoping he would phase tomorrow.

As I got into bed I realized that maybe I should hope Sam wouldn't phase, I mean he's obviously freaked out about the symptoms, imagine the real thing. It was then I decided that I would stay in wolf form all of tomorrow to be present when Sam did phase.

Alex's point of view...

Waking up was, as usual, hard. I got up at five in the morning just in case and phased. Let me tell you it was hard work. I sat there poised, my phone next to me just in case, and waited for Sam. I knew it would happen today, I could feel it, almost smell it in the air.

**After hours of waiting, as if on cue, right after 2 in the afternoon, as I was just about to fall asleep, I felt a shift in the wind. You know how it gets really calm just before a cyclone hits, that's what I felt and I knew straight away that now was the time. Sam was going to phase soon. I stood, circling around getting ready to run in any direction as soon as Sam needed me. He could snap at any moment, like a twig and if anyone was to see or be to close, it would end badly. **

Sam's point of view...

I couldn't believe I was on a date with the reservations most wanted. Viktoria was a beautiful, tall red head, Russian girl, with the sexiest accent ever. And the captain of the gymnastics and girls rugby team. Flexible, dominant and above all beautiful. What more could I ask for. I knew the answer to that question, Leah. But at the moment she didn't want me, she said I was being distant and acting strange, of course I knew that, I just didn't want to hurt her.

Anyway, I took Viktoria to my house and made some lunch, salami and cucumber sandwiches, my favorite and then put on a movie, clash of the titans. I thought it was going well, obviously she did not. "Sam, look I'm sorry but I'm leaving. Justin said he wants me back" she said whilst smiling. I felt my blood boil and my dignity raise its ugly head, so much for staying calm. "So as soon as Justin wants to get back together, you ditch whoever your with and go to him? That's bullshit Viktoria!" I yelled, feeling my anger boil. She cringed, got up and ran out the door telling me to stay away from her.

I felt the fever kick in, the rage, my aching bones begging for release, for the tension to be gone. I ran outside quickly into the forrest following Alex's instructions. I felt tight coils of tension and anger roll throughout my spine, down my legs and up my arms. My eyes went black for a millisecond and I then find myself starting at the blurring ground in front of me. So there really was an animal clawing it's way to the surface all this time. I was going to panic no doubt but I would call Alex first, he obviously knew what was happening before I did.

Alex's point of view...

I heard a snap in the back of my mind and was off like a shot. Sam was sprinting towards the borderline of Canada and fast, I had to catch up. 'Jesus Sam' I thought and saw Sam look confused. If that works what happens when I say this 'Sam stop running and let me catch up you dingbat' I yelled in a weird voice. I'd have to ask billy about that later. And as if Sam was on a chain, this huge black wolf was flung backwards onto its stomach a few meters away from me.

'Sam?' I asked, marveling at the huge black wolf in front of me. 'Alex? What the hell is going on and why are we huge wolves?' he all but shouted into my head. I cringed, he was taking this worse than I thought. "Okay, Sam do you remember the Quilulet legends? That we descended from wolves?" I asked cautiously. As he nodded, I threw myself into an explanation, for hours I told him everything.

"And finally, I've told you everything I know, I am the first, making me alpha but I only phased a few days ago, so there's still a lot to learn, any thoughts?" I asked cautiously. Sam opened his mouth but shut it again quickly. There was a flick of something in his eye and I reacted. "Sam! Don't you dare run from me, from your duty, from your soon to be brothers. I know this is difficult but I was the first, I had no one that had experience, that's where we differ, you have me, I know how you feel, I've felt it, lived it, for gods sake, I've breathed it." I roared into his head, this telepathy came in handy. Sam whimpered.

I motioned for him to fallow me and we started making our way to his house. We got dressed and then I sat. I waited for him to comprehend what was going on and after a fee minutes, I asked the all important question, "What do you want to know?".


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Alex's point of view...

"Everything." Sam whispered, continuing with, "I want to know what was happening in your mind and what you felt in your body please Alex". His pleading was enough for me to settle down for a long while and before I started I asked, " As long as you tell me the same things afterwards", and as he nodded I thought back.

" It was two days ago, I felt sick and overnight I'd had a huge growth spurt, my bones begged for release, from what I wasn't aware, but they begged none the least. Billy had told me to think of something else to get my mind off the searing pain, so I thought of Jazz. Whilst I was thinking of the day she died, I got so mad at myself and Billy asked me if I was alright, I wasn't but I yelled at him like an idiot. It felt like the walls were enclosing me in, I had to get out and I was running and everything just let go. It felt as if the whole world had been lifted from my shoulders, yet our world had just been placed onto them, making me alpha of our soon to be pack." I told him. " Now I believe it's your turn" I suggested and got settled in to hear Sam's experience.

Sam's point of view...

As Alex talked about his experience of phasing, I couldn't help but notice the double meanings behind some of his words, I knew he'd tell me the whole story of Jazz's death eventually but for now I'm left to wonder, what else happened before she died?

"Now I believe it's your turn" Alex said, riveting me out of my thoughts. I thought for a moment, trying to figure out where to start, and then commenced speaking. "Really it all started just before you got back, the tribal elders had been looking at me weird, almost like they were waiting for something, of course I know why now. And then when you came to visit, Leah had just talked to me and decided we needed a break, then Viktoria just leaving set me off, and all the tight coils of tension just released, but I thought of Leah whilst I phased, I just cant get her out of my mind." I told Alex. He had a look of deep concentration and perplexity on his face, that was unusual.

Alex's point of view...

Sam telling me he was thinking about Leah before and as he phased gave me an insight into why we end up the colours we are when we phase. I was thinking of Jazz, Sam was thinking of Leah, we both ended up with the colour of their hair.

When I looked up, I noticed Sam had stopped speaking and was staring at me intently, as if he knew what I was thinking about. I must have zoned out, either that or talked whilst I thought.

"I have one too, you know, a theory on why we are the colour we are" Sam stated. I looked at him, waiting for him to explain. He never did though. "Tell me your thoughts and I'll tell you mine" I bargained. He nodded and motioned for me to put my theory out in the open, I motioned for him to wait a second whilst I collected my thoughts and began, " I have only one theory about different peoples fur, that it is the colour representing the most important thing in their life at the moment they phase. Mine of course being Jazz, meaning I'm her hair colour, and yours being Leah, and your her hair colour." I explained. "Your turn" I state. Sam looks thoughtful for a moment before he says anything. "You see I think it has more to do with emotions, like how I felt depressed because Leah left me, and you were feeling love because you were thinking of Jazz, I think that's how it works" Sam said.

I never thought of it that way, but either way I'm pretty sure it has to do with emotions in some way or another.

"Mind if I crash here Sam? I'm beat" I ask. Sam nods and I walk to the spare room, I look back before closing the door and say, " You better not leave Sam. I will track you down sooner or later, painfully if I have to. And I wouldn't appreciate being left alone to deal with Paul phasing in the next few days." I say, sighing. "If I wake up and your gone, God help you and all others in my path" I warn, then close the door and pass out on the bed.

Alex's point of view...

Waking up felt weird. It didn't feel like a week after I moved, it felt more like a month. I felt older somehow, like I wasn't a normal seventeen year old, like I had aged years in less than a week.

I took time to think my day through, deciding to go home and visit dad, I haven't seen him in four days.

I also knew I wouldn't have to worry about Sam, I could hear him in the next room over and he knew the consequences of running.

I wrote a note and taped it to the fridge, because he uses the fridge, and started making my way home, it was a twenty minute walk but I was up for it. I enjoyed the heat on my skin and walking near the trees, I'd become accustomed to how they felt on my skin, brushing against it. For the first time in days I was calm. I walked in through the front door and into the kitchen, I saw my dad eating toast, Vegemite toast to be exact. We became fond of it in Australia, and ever since we've been eating it. "Can I have some dad?" I ask casually walking over to the toaster. "Sure" he says, before doing a double-take. "Jesus! What happened to you?" my dad exclaimed. "Didn't Billy tell you? I phased and so did Sam Uley yesterday" I said. He looked so surprised. "But your all buff and older looking, you look twenty not seventeen." he said. I just nodded, "It is pretty drastic.". My dad looked thoughtful for a moment, like he wanted to say something but was afraid to. "What is it dad?" I probed. "What did it? I mean what made you angry enough to phase?" he asked, slightly nervous. We had lost most of our bond when Jazz died. "How about I tell you everything after we've had breakfast and a shower." I suggest. He nods and we head upstairs, and get ready for the day.

It's about fifteen minutes later when we both finish and make our way to the lounge room. "Sit down next to me dad, not all the way over there." I comment when he tries to sit as far from me as possible. I'm not hurt, just disappointed, but I understand, I'm the dangerous one at the moment. He makes his way to the chair next to me and sits, slightly to the side, as far from me possible in the chair. "Dad you don't have to be afraid of me" I say, slightly hurt now, "I'm not going to hurt you, I feel the most in control I have ever felt." I finish, slightly surprised to find my statement true. "I'm not afraid Alex, Billy just warned me to be careful, he said you snapped at him." my dad said quietly. "That was about 40 seconds before I phased, and then I bolted, I'm in control now, I promise" I said, ashamed that I had snapped at Billy. "Alright then, but I didn't know, our bond has been kind of detached since... Since Jasmine died" he reluctantly said. I sighed, "I know dad, but you have to understand I was in a bad place then, I'm still in a bad place, just not as bad as before." I tried to explain. "What happened that day Alex, it's been nearly a year and you haven't said anything about it, I worry about you sometimes" he said, before continuing, "Sometimes I look at you and I don't even think your there. It's as if you don't feel anything, you just look dead, and that scares me more than if you were depressed, at least I could help with that. " he said softly, sadness filling each of his features. I honestly felt bad, and for the first time in nearly a year, I hugged my dad. Not just one of those light hugs, a bone-crushing hug that conveyed all the emotion in myself at that very moment. It took dad a little while to register what was happening, but as soon as he did, he was hugging back just as tightly. We were on the track to recovering out bond.

We pulled back from the hug, I composed myself and got ready to tell the story of how Jazz died in full, for the first time. "We had just qualified for the skate competitions final," I started, dad recognizing I was telling him, "I can remember looking at her, she shined with joy, her hair had just migrated back to that nice red colour, you remember, and her eyes were such a bright, vibrant green, they just sucked me in. She was smiling and I remember thinking that she had just gotten her braces off a few days before, just in time for her seventeenth birthday, always two weeks after mine." I stopped there for a moment, trying not to cry, this was hard for me. "Alex, you don't have to tell me." Dad said. I just waved him off before continuing. "We decided to stop at the pool and have a swim to cool off, I don't even remember who suggested the race, but I feel so guilty, it was either me or I agreed to it. She slipped on the edge, everything happened so fast, I tried to catch her, grab her, stop her from falling, anything to save her, but she hit her head on the edge of the pool, right on the corner. Her head split open and she died before the EMT's arrived. I watched my best friend in the entire world, the love of my life, die, begging me to keep her alive as she lay in my arms, and then she was gone. I haven't really been the same person since then. When Jazz died, she took half of me with her." I finished, sniffling after remembering it. Dad just looked at me sympathetically.

We were quiet for a few minutes before anything more was said. "I never knew how much it affected you, but I know why you phased from the memory now." he said. I just nodded, my chest hurt and for a moment I wondered if I may be having a heart attack, it passed gradually though. "I'm not a whole person like I used to be, for a while I was hardly here at all, I miss her dad, more than you'll ever know, I was going to propose you know, at dinner that night." I confided. He looked shocked for about four seconds before hugging me again. "She would have been a fantastic addition to the family." he said, after pulling back. "I still have the ring, I couldn't bare to return it, I've had it around my neck on a chain for so long." I said, absently playing with it. Dad just looked at me and registered that I was in a daze now and wouldn't be much of a conversation, so he stood me up and walked me to bed, then he tucked me in and told me to sleep. I didn't object, I just lay there and eventually fell asleep, and dreamed of Jazz.

The next morning when I woke up, I felt lighter, a little bit happier, why I didn't know, but I didn't care. That was until I remembered what happened yesterday. And my mood came crashing down, the year anniversary of her death was next week, which means today is also my eighteenth birthday. Yay. And judging by the tension I feel, something bad is going to happen today. Sighing, I heave myself out of bed, noticing for the first time, the picture of Jazz on the bedside table. And I lose it, I fling my head into my hands an burst into tears. And again, my room feels to small, like the air has been sucked from it and suddenly I can't breathe, the walls are closing in and the doors are getting smaller. I race for the door and scramble frantically through it and down the hall and stairs, before finally reaching the front door. I fling that open too, not being able to get outside quick enough, and race for the tree line. I feel the familiar twitch in my spine, the ache in my joints and the fire burning between my eyes, the stretching and cramping of certain bone, my vision blurs and I feel my arms and legs elongate and then my clothes shred. With a quick curse I continue running, my thoughts drowned once again with Jazz, I couldn't care less about anything else.

I moved from one memory to the next, taking in every detail, until I just can't run anymore and I collapse, back as a human. I have no clothes, but I couldn't have cared, I just continue crying, curled up in a ball, letting out nearly a years sadness, and I just couldn't stop, it just wouldn't stop. I loved her so much, it hurt me when she wasn't happy, if hurt me that I couldn't help her when she was in my arms begging me to help her, to save her, because she believed I could and I didn't know how, I couldn't, I didn't, and now she's dead.

I racked my brain trying to find a different memory, a happier one, but it was like her death consumed me, and for the briefest moment I wondered how I could follow her, the only reason I didn't was because if I die, she would have died in vein, and I can't let that happen, I won't let that happen. I growled deep in my throat, wishing I could just see her one last time, so instead I settled for a memory, the memory of the night we told each other we loved each other for the first time, our first kiss, the hug that I will never forget, I will never forget the way she held me, the way we clung to each other, as if life depended on it. And then I got up, phased and started walking again. I just wondered around, no specific place in my head, until I realized I was running, I was running towards the grass clearing I used to walk to when visiting uncle Billy all those years ago. It had the most beautiful flowers, the most vibrant colours, the rarest greens and reds and purples, they were the second most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I bought the most beautiful thing here last time I came to visit, Jazz had been in awe, all I could look at was her, it bought a smile to my face.

I reached it in no time, only to find a girl there. But that was impossible, unless you were showed the way here, no one could ever find it, and the only way to see it is to have the purest of hearts, or the most hurtful pain caused by one pure heart loving another, or at least that was the legend. I moved towards a bush and hid, waiting for the girl to turn around so I could see her face, I inched forward, a twig snapped, and she twisted around so fast I thought she may have caused some whiplash. Until she looked at me, right in the eyes and all thought stopped. I nearly fainted, she smiled and I nearly had a heart attack, it couldn't be, it can't be. But it was, the girl had Jazz's hair and eyes and teeth and she was the same hight and... And her eyes, the exact same as Jazz's, I felt tears again, and I bolted, I ran so fast that I got to Sam's in a matter of seconds. I ran to the door and started scratching furiously, I wanted him to answer the door, he didn't. "Dammit!" I growled, before I just knocked the door down and ran up the stairs to Sam's room. Thankfully that door was open. I stole the shorts off the chair and phased, put them on and got ready to yell. "Hold up, hold up, I'm awake okay mr crash -down -my -door -and -steal -my -clothes." Sam said getting up. I sat heavily in the chair the shorts were occupying before, and threw my head back. "There wasn't enough time, I couldn't... I didn't..." I stopped, I couldn't find the words to explain, I sighed, "Jazz is still alive." I said finally.


End file.
